Ben Kaufman ’17 and Wyatt Smitherman ’16 debate what the Religious Freedom Restoration Act will mean for Indiana. Kaufman argues that the law will only allow for minority discrimination while Smitherman argues the bill is similar to many others, but would ultimately be better if replaced by At-Will contracting.

In the interest of increasing patient autonomy, opening the doors to true forms of euthanasia goes too far. Physician-assisted suicide, therefore, exists as the only viable option. Ethically indistinguishable (at worst) from current medical practices, dying with dignity needs to become a legally acceptable option for terminally ill people.

Of course, many at Stanford have loudly decried such reports as simply untrue. In many respects, their objections are completely correct.

The popular “Get Rich U” stereotype fails to capture the academic prowess of Stanford’s humanities program — ranked No. 1 in the world by the London Times’ Higher Education Supplement — or U.S. News and World Report’s top rankings for individual humanities/social science departments, such as psychology, English, history and sociology.

It doesn’t explain the supposedly tech-focused administration’s decisions to build an elegant $50 million concert hall or maintain a gorgeous, free art museum, among its other support for the arts and humanities. Plus, as my roommate — a double major in economics, and theater and performance studies — pointed out, it clearly doesn’t characterize the intellectual passions of many students.

But, like many other students at Stanford, as I try to figure out our lives, I can understand the remaining truth in those articles. At Stanford, computer science has become the major of choice for those who, like us, came to Stanford unsure about our futures. After all, in a post-recession economy, the major offers the rare combination of job security in the tech-rich Silicon Valley and the opportunity to start one’s own ventures. That dual use is a significant reason why computer science recently passed human biology as Stanford’s most popular major.

However, that technology focus has had some markedly negative impacts upon student culture, and it’s there that the “Get Rich U” stereotype holds some merit.

At Stanford, the proverbial college coffee-house conversations rarely revolve around politics or philosophy. Rather, when eating dinner at the CoHo during finals week, my friends and I heard students planning “Instagram for Quora” (whatever that entails) and venture capitalist news and startup buzz are commonly heard talking points around campus eateries.

Though probably inevitable when surrounded by Silicon Valley, the presence of “startup culture” can twist students’ goals. I know many students, once passionate about social change, who now plan to work for tech giants and make comfortable six-figure salaries. Though they will guarantee their financial securities, their idealistic passion for helping others has largely subsided. Once channeled through direct interactions with the less fortunate, many instead hope that technology can serve as an indirect vector for social change.

Are those the dreams we want students to have?

Internet-era technology has benefited billions of people and has connected our world in an unprecedented way. Stanford students have the ability to steward not only that revolution, but also many other, greater forces for social good. Urban education, global income inequality and climate change are topics discussed around campus — how much do we plan to do anything about them post-graduation? Efforts like Stand With Leah and Fossil Free Stanford are examples of incredibly important student activism, but they shouldn’t end on campus.

Rather, we as students should harness the creative energy around us to help alleviate such issues, both at home and abroad, starting while at Stanford and continuing after we leave. Financial stability and comfort matter, but perhaps it’s more important to step outside our comfort zones. After all, we are the 5.07 percent; we have incredible talent and have been given great privilege.

Maybe it’s time for Stanford students — past, present and future — to reconsider their very dreams in the first place.

By dreaming for others rather than ourselves we can help eradicate the greatest challenges facing humanity. Along the way, perhaps we’ll find self-fulfillment that money can’t buy.

About Debnil Sur

Debnil Sur is a columnist for The Stanford Daily. He is a member of the class of 2017 from Sunnyvale, California, planning on double majoring in Computer Science and Public Policy. Debnil holds opinions about many topics, from Stanford life to state and federal policy, and enjoys discussing, defending and molding those perspectives. He’s also passionate about 49ers football, Chipotle burritos and Steph Curry’s jump shot. Direct fan messages to debnil ‘at’ stanford.edu, and mail insults to P.O. Box 15648, Stanford, CA.

Alot of people, including myself, have this mindset of 1)getting rich, 2)using the riches to make social change

unfortunately most people who achieve 1 forget about 2

tech

The startup scene is not all about getting rich but mostly. It can be compatible with social and philosophical change.

Submissions

Letters to the editor: E-mail Editor in Chief Joseph Beyda at eic@stanforddaily.com. Signed letters only. Students and alums, please include class year for publication. Non-students, please include city or University affiliation for publication. All: please include evening telephone number (not for publication). Word limit for letters: 500.

Op-eds: E-mail Managing Editor of Opinions Aimee Trujillo at opinions@stanforddaily.com. Students and alums, please include class year for publication. Non-students, please include city or University affiliation for publication. All: please include evening telephone number (not for publication). Word limit for op-eds: 700.

Opinions Columnists

Nick Ahamed The Muckraker

Mark Bessen The Fault in Our Systems

Winston ShiA More Perfect Union

Mysia AndersonEvolving

Johnathan Bowes Super Tuesday

Aimee TrujilloSuper Tuesday

Veronica Anorve Super Tuesday

Neil ChaudharyDouble Take

Mina ShahWednesdays in the World

Raven JiangQuoth the Raven

That’s what we said

This Board is worried by the increasing homogeneity of experience on campus. Stanford University is not doing enough to encourage the creative, wacky, eccentric environment that has made Stanford different — and an oasis — for decades. Rather than following the other prestigious universities, we should chart our own course that pushes students to think differently and act differently, if they so choose. —Vol. 246 Editorial Board